It is neither necessary nor sufficient to relate a strong military to its size, or the amount of money spent on it. What makes it strong is the size of the warrior in each of its fighting members. I have typed this before "If you took the Navy in the state of Virginia and got rid of the rest of the US Navy, you would have a Naval force that is seven times larger than the rest of the world's combined Naval Forces." We do not need more money thrown at the military, we need to redistribute money away from building 35 new B-1 bombers and put that money into funding troop training and quality of life. We have purchased missile systems that have no one to operate them. We have tanks that are relatively new that need repairs, but will not fix them because there is no one to drive them. If you took half of the money for the B-1's and put it into recruiting, training, paying, and retaining Marines we would have a more effective force. Most of the aircraft I flew were older than me. The F-14 was retired for the Super Hornet (I have to wipe my leg - that b i t c h can do a back flip). Smart to update our technology, but the 14 and the S2 were pulled 5 years early to fund the new fleet of hornets (one of the contract requirements for the development of the new hornet). This cost many pilots their jobs. It costs 1.4 million to train every pilot in the military. The Navy, and Air Force(F-22) let go 2,000 pilots between 2002 and 2006. The operating buget of this country, either directly or indirectly, devotes nearly 70% to the military and its toys. You could cut that in half and still outspend every country on this planet 5 times over. We throw more money at toys instead of the warriors. This gives us a lot of inefficient programs and projects that only benefit the contractors. This does not benefit the common "joe." I missed saying Happy Birthday to my Marine Corps friends this past Monday. At OCS, every night before Taps we would sing these two great songs. I hear them every time I see a Navy or Marine Corps flag.
Stand, Navy, out to sea, Fight our battle cry;
We'll never change our course, So vicious foe steer shy-y-y-y.
Roll out the TNT , Anchors Aweigh. Sail on to victory
And sink their bones to Davy Jones, hooray!
Anchors Aweigh, my boys, Anchors Aweigh.
Farewell to foreign shores, We sail at break of day, of day.
Through our last night on shore, Drink to the foam,
Until we meet once more. Here's wishing you a happy voyage home!
From the Halls of Montezuma
To the shores of Tripoli
We fight our country's battles
In the air on land and sea.
First to fight for right and freedom
And to keep our honor clean;
We are proud to bear the title
Of United States Marines.
Our flag's unfurled to every breeze
From dawn to setting sun;
We have fought in every clime and place
Where we could take a gun.
In the snow of far-off Northern lands
And in sunny tropic scenes;
You will find us always on the job --
The United States Marines.
Here's health to you and to our Corps
Which we are proud to serve;
In many a strife we've fought for life
And never lost our nerve.
If the Army and the Navy
Ever look on Heaven's scenes,
They will find the streets are guarded
By United States Marines.
Class Drill Instructor: Prepare to mount. (1,2,3,4,5) Mount RACKS! (1,2,3,4,5) PREEEEEEESENT ARMS! PRAY!
OCS Class:
This is my rifle.
There are many like it, but this one is MINE.
My rifle is my best friend. It is my life.
I must master it as I must master my life.
My rifle without me is useless. Without my rifle, I am useless.
I must fire my rifle true.
I must shoot straighter than my enemy who is trying to kill me.
I must shoot him before he shoots me. I will...
My rifle and myself know that what counts in war is not the rounds we fire, the noise of our bursts, nor the smoke we make.
We know it is the hits that count. We will hit...
My rifle is human, even as I, because it is my life.
Thus, I will learn it as a brother.
I will learn its weaknesses, its strengths, its parts, its accessories,
its sights, and its barrel.
I will ever guard it against the ravages of weather and damage.
I will keep my rifle clean and ready, even as I am clean and ready.
We will become part of each other. We will...
Before God I swear this creed.
My rifle and myself are the defenders of my country.
We are the masters of our enemy.
We are the saviors of my life.
So be it, until there is no enemy, but PEACE.
Class Drill Instructor: ORDER...ARMS! AT EASE. GOOD NIGHT PU$$IE$
OCS Class: GOOD NIGHT SIR!